Combination rocker-glider and pushcart



Dec. 18, 1956 H. c. STUEBER ET AL 2,774,611

COMBINATION ROCKER-GLIDER AND PUSHCARI Filed Nov '7, 1.955

1 mmvrom. FIG. 3 HUGH c. srusasn GEORGE A. MOORE United States Pfltfl The present invention relates generally to mechanical riding toys, and more particularly to acombinati'on rock- 'er-glider and pushcart. x

The primary object of this'inven tion is to provide a childs rocker-gliderwhich maybe propelled by a child seated therein and operating the device with a jockeying movement.

Another object of this invention is "to provide a rockerglider which simulates to a degree the motion of an animal running, the flat sides of the body lending themselves to the representation thereon of the desired animal.

Another object of this invention is to provide a toy vehicle of the type mentioned above and in which the forward travelling motion is the same during the upward and downward jockeying movement of the child.

Finally it is an object to provide a device of the aforementioned type which is simple, safe and interesting to the child and which will give generally efficient and durable service.

With these and other objects definitely in view, this invention consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of elements and portions, as will be hereinafter fully described in the specification, particularly pointed out in the claim, and illustrated in the drawings which form a material part of this disclosure, and inwhich:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device showing the lowest position of the device and having superimposed thereon a schematic diagram showing the device with the parts in their uppermost positions assumed during the action cycle.

Figure 2 is a somewhat fragmentary front elevation of the device.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken at the line 33 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view of the animating spring and parts coacting directly therewith, the view being taken along the line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary, vertical sectional view taken along the line 5-5 of Figure 4 and showing a portion of one side of the device, and the special means used for connection of a handle. 7

Figure 6 is an enlarged, fragmentary elevational view of a portion of one leg of the device, showing the wheel, mounting bracket, ratchet and pawl arrangement and control therefor. I a

Referring now to the drawings, and specifically to Fig. 1, there is shown the combination rocker, glider and pushcart, which includes a body 10 having horizontally opposed, similar, vertically positioned side panels 12. .The side panels 12 may be shaped to simulate the appearance virtually of any animal, with portions extending downwardly and rearwardly constituting body legs 14. Crossbars 16 maintain the side pieces 12 inhorizont-ally spaced relation so that a seat assembly 18 may be inserted therebetween.

The seat assembly 18 includes a bottom 20 and a back 22, and is provided with downwardly and forwardly exlice tending legs 24 which, for convenience, may be thought of as'seat legs. Another crossbar 26 extends between the legs 24, this crossbar constituting a foot rail and aiding in maintaining the rigidity of the seat assembly 18.

. The seat assembly 18 is pivotally attached to the body 10 by an aligned pair of pivot bolts 28, the bolts extending through the upper end portions of the body legs 14 and the seat legs 24. A relatively heavy spring 30 is mountedon the shank 32 of at least'one of-the bolts 28, the spring having its coiled central portion mounted on a flanged sleeve 34 fitted over the shank 32, and the sleeve is held in' position by a nut 36. This spring 30 has" extended end portions 38, one of which extends downwardly and forwardly andis bent atright angles to contact-the seat legs 24, and the other of which extends downwardly andrearwardly and is bent to contact the body legs 14. Thelegs 14, 24 are drilled to receive flanged inserts 40, having bores or sockets to receivethe end portions 38' of the spring '30. The inserts "are positionedin the range of 4 to 8 inches from the center line of the pivot bolts 28. p V V Bracket-s 42' are afiixed tothe-ends of the legs 14, 24

and extend downwardly therefrom as forks on which wheels 44 are freely rotatably mounted. A ratchet wheel 46 is fixed coaxially of each wheel 44, and on the inner face thereof. A pawl 48 is pivotallymounted in the bracket 42, the point 50 of the pawl 48 selectively contacting the teeth 52 of the ratchet wheel 46. A portion 54 of the pawl 48 extends from the pivot 56 rearwardly of the bracket 42, and constitutes a lever to facilitate shifting of the pawls 48 to an inoperative position. Dimples 58 in the sides of the brackets 42 frictionally engage and hold the pawls 48 in such inoperative position when so required. The pawls as shown are gravity operated but'may be spring biased if desired. In the disclosed form, the pawls 48 are so shaped as to locate the center of gravity thereof between the pivot 56 and the axis of the ratchet wheel 46, so that the pawls gravitate toward an operative position.

A handle 60 is removably attached to the body 10 by means of channels 62 which are secured to the inner surface of each side 12 and extend upwardly from the front end of the rearwardly positioned crossbars 16. The handle 60 includes a dowel 64 having a hand-grip 66 mounted on one end, and having a yoke with curved arms 68 attached to the other end. The arms 68 extend outwardly from the dowel 64 and curve into parallelism at their terminals 69 so as to be insertable in the channels 62, the terminals being of a size and shape to maintain firm frictional contact therewith. 'A spreader bar 70 is af fixed to and extends between intermediate portions of the arms 68, and the bar 16 functions as a stop for said terminals. A locking screw 72 is affixed to the spreader bar 70,'in axial alignment with the dowel 64. The screw 72 extends downwardly through the crossbar 16. A wingnut7 4 effectively locks the handle in position.

In use, the device is operated by a child seated in the seatv 18 with his feet on the crossbar 26. The spring 30 is overcome by the childs weight on the seat'but when he shifts his weight to the footrail or crossbar 26 the spring 30 pulls the legs 14, 24 toward each other, lifting the pivot bolts 28, and tilting the seat 18 and the body 10. Forward motion is accomplished by positioning of the ratchet wheels 46 and pawls 48 to allow only forward rotation of the wheels 44. On the downward stroke of the-cycle, the ratchet wheels 46 and pawls 48 prevent rearward rotation of the Wheels44 on the body legs 14, but allow the wheels 44 on the seat legs 24 to roll forwardly. On the upward stroke of the cycle, the wheels 44 on the seat legs 24 are prevented from rolling rearwardly, while the wheels 44 on the body legs 14 roll forwardly. Each half-cycle propels the device forward an approx ma y equa di a c nd a substantially n form forward movement may be attained.

The handle 20 provides a means of using the device as a. pushc rand the channels 6 and; ac g crew 721 aren inadvertent removal of the, handl or may e u ed for Pu li g he d vic W A noiseniaker 76 of the compression type is attached to the crossbar 16 in such a manner as to be aotu'ated by contact of the seat back 2 2 on the downstroke. of the cycle, thereby increasing the enjoyment to children.

Various appurtenances, the design of which is determined by the character of the animal represented, such as a comb 78 a d tail a h r 80 whe a q te s used, may be, simulated by the use of flexible plastic or the like, thereby enhancing the appearance and realism of the device. It l be u ers oo t a any animal m y be suggested by the outline of the body.

Fur h r d script o w d ppea t e u e es a y! It is understood that minor variation from the form of the invention disclosed herein may be made without parture from the, sp rit a d. sc pe he invent n, an ha the. pecific on nd drawing re to be consid re as merely illustrative rather than limiting.

We claim:

A childs mechanic l r i g y compris ng; a y portion comprising two vertical side panels in horizontally opposed, spaced relation; crossbar-s extending therebetween; said side panels having opposed downwardly and rearwardly extending leg portions; a seat assembly fixed to and between said panels; said seat assembly having opposed, downwardly and cforwardly extending leg portions, means to pivotally engage said sea-t assembly with said body portion; said means comprising a pivot bolt extendin h au ha ja nt port ons 015 s i ea a s m y a said body portion; a coil spring axially mounted on each of said bolts; one end of said spring being fixed to one of the rearward-1y entendingleg portions; the other end of said spring being fixed to one of the forwardly extending leg portions.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1 ,83 *Chapde aine -,---t----v--,- 1922 1, 02, Ba be --a--t-a,-vy 1924 1,579,441 Falke Apr. 6,1926 1,648,745 Smith m, j Nov. 8, 1927 I FOREIGN PATENTS 342,495 Great Britain Feb. 5, 1931 7 664,450 GreatBritain Feb. 28, 1949 

